


Kitten

by Everyday_Im_Preaching



Category: Black Panther (2018)
Genre: Confessions, First Kiss, Love Confessions, M/M, Requited Love, mentioned pining
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-01
Updated: 2018-03-01
Packaged: 2019-03-25 18:44:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13840758
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Everyday_Im_Preaching/pseuds/Everyday_Im_Preaching
Summary: T'Challa has feelings for Everett. He'd done a good job of hiding them--that is, up until now. With the cat officially out of the bag, he can only hope that Everett ignores it--or return his feelings.





	Kitten

**Author's Note:**

> I said I was going to do it, so I did it. Well, I said I wanted to do it.
> 
> In any case.
> 
> I really hope this ship catches on because I ADORE it. Thank you for taking the time to read, and if you find yourself enjoying this fic, please leave a comment below!
> 
> Unbeta'd

 

_ Kitten.  _

It had slipped from T’Challa’s mouth before he could stop it, hanging between him and Everett with far too much weight than was comfortable. The two locked eyes; Everett looked more baffled than offended, jaw sliding and shifting as if he were unable to respond.

“I…apologise,” T’Challa began, crossing his hands behind his back, gripping them tightly within each other. “I’m not sure where that came from.” 

Everett looked down, eyebrows bouncing on his face as he considered the excuse. “Hopefully a place of affection.” He responded, mirroring T’Challa’s stance. “How’s Nakia?” He asked nonchalantly, looking anywhere but the man in front of him. 

“She’s doing well.” T’Challa responded, turning forward and continuing down the walkway. “Settling nicely into her role, helping bridge other nations and Wakanda—Nakia has chosen to go to our offices in America, however. She believes she could provide better assistance from there.”

That wasn’t the full truth; Nakia had noticed that T’Challa’s attentions were held elsewhere—she had left not only for herself, but as an attempt to save T’Challa from himself. To force him to admit his affection for Everett, in any case. T’Challa had wanted to curse her for it but hadn’t had the energy over his own self-loathing as well as how much energy it took to keep the secret under wraps. Which he had currently failed in doing. 

“Oh, really? I thought she was getting along quite, uh. Quite nicely here.” Everett finished, letting his hands swing back to his sides. “Might strain your relationship a bit, but you’ve an incredible amount of technology here. Plenty of ways to stay in contact.” 

T’Challa nodded and then cleared his throat. “Actually, we’re…not together any longer. We’ve broken it off.  For good this time.” He fiddled with the cuff of his sleeve. “We were not meant to last, I suppose—but that is the way of the world. Not everything turns out as you expect it to.” 

“Ah, I…I’m sorry,” Everett tried, rolling his lips between his teeth. “I’m sure you’ll find another young lady soon enough—you are a king after all.” 

“Perhaps…” T’Challa turned back to face Everett, bringing his hands from behind him, allowing them hover in the space between them. “…perhaps it is not a woman that I seek.”

“What are you…what are you on about?” Everett asked, furrowing his brow. 

T’Challa let out a soft breath, trying to find a way to explain himself. He reached forward, grasping Everett’s hands in his own. “I understand that this might come as a surprise—and perhaps an unwelcome one at that—but I desire you. That is what truly drove Nakia away from me, and to the Americas. It was her way of forcing my hand.” 

“Is that why you called me kitten?” Everett questioned, looking at their joined hands. 

“The two might be related.” T’Challa replied, rubbing his thumb across Everett’s knuckles. “I understand if this is unwanted.” He went to let their hands drop, but Everett gripped them tightly. 

“No, not…not unwanted. Sorry, I,” Everett shook his head. “I just didn’t expect the King of Wakanda to be interested in an old American like me is all.” T’Challa’s heart stuttered in his chest at the concedence. He tried to speak as Everett looked around the room; it was a bit wild, as if the man were trying to find something. “This isn’t a setup, is it? Shuri isn’t going to pop out of the walls and make fun of me—because that would be in  _ very  _ bad taste.” 

T’Challa was surprised enough to laugh, shaking his head. He tugged Everett forward, pulling his hand free so he could run it through the American’s hair, letting it end in a careful cup to the back of his head. “No set-up. Though I’m sure she’s recording this from somewhere, ready to tease the two of us.” 

“Of course she is. She doesn’t believe in privacy,” Everett muttered, eyes darting away from T’Challa. “Are you actually serious about this?” He asked, only flinching a  _ little,  _ when T’Challa pressed their foreheads together.

“I am.” T’Challa murmured, closing his eyes. After a second or so, he opened them; his hand slid down to cup Everett’s jaw, tilting it upward. “I…I’m sorry—I should ask, of course. Are you?”

Everett looked up at T’Challa, and then away, blush dusting his cheeks. “Yeah. I…well, you’re a very charming…” He cleared his throat, then looked T’Challa dead in the eye. “Yes. I would love to be in a relationship with you—if you’ll have me. Going to be hard to match up to Nakia, considering I’m twice her age and twice as creaky—”

T’Challa interrupted him. “—I am not looking for a replacement. I am looking for  _ you. _ ” He leaned forward, brushing his nose against Everett’s. He brought the hand he still had captive to his chest, holding it there. “I have felt this way since the day we met, Everett.”

“I should have known you were a romantic,” Everett accused, fingers twitching against T’Challa’s chest. “Have to admit, not sure where we go from here. It’s been awhile.” 

Instead of answering, T’Challa dipped forward, pressing a chaste kiss to Everett’s lips, relishing in their warmth underneath his. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.” T’Challa whispered, snaking an arm around Everett’s waist. He kissed at Everett’s mouth again, capturing the laugh that escaped him. 

“How do you keep your lips so smooth?” T’Challa demanded, before diving in to kiss Everett again, suddenly unable to stop himself. 

“Chapstick,” Everett told him, returning the gentle kisses with equal fervour. “So, kitten. What’s that about?” He asked in-betwixt the soft affection, his face now cupped between both of T’Challa’s hands. 

T’Challa paused and cocked his head to the side. “You are fearless. Bumbling, but fearless.” Everett rose an eyebrow in question, but T’Challa continued. “Soft. Warm.” A playfully devious smile stretched across his face. He leaned forward, lips inches from Everett’s ear. “And I bet if I pet you just right, you’ll purr rather nicely.” 

Everett choked on his own spit, cheeks burning hotly. But he didn’t resist when T’Challa pulled him forward, kissing at the corners of his mouth. “I’m sorry,” He apologised as Everett’s cheeks darkened further. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you.” 

“Well you have.” Everett responded. “Good job, your majesty.”

A low chuckle left T’Challa, and continued to kiss at Everett’s face, even as the man tried to escape him. “Come back here, my little  _ inkonti. _ My fluffy little man.”

“Maybe fluffy in the gut.” Everett responded, shaking his head. “What does that mean?”

“ _ Inkonti _ ?” T’Challa asked, stepping back, but not quite releasing Everett. “It means nothing more than kitten.” He gathered Everett’s hands once more in his, pressing a kiss to his knuckles. 

Everett stepped forward, taking charge of the kiss this time. Though it was shy in nature, it had T’Challa wanting to cling to him, to gather him back in his arms and kiss him silly. 

“Naturally,” Everett muttered dryly, rolling his eyes. He pulled away from T’Challa, though he kept his hand securely in the younger man’s. “Glad that we’re done with all that pining.” 

“I, too, am glad.” T’Challa admitted. “No doubt that Nakia will be glad to hear the news of our courtship as well.  _ Your  _ courtship.” He brought Everett’s hand to his mouth once more, gliding his lips along his fingers.

Everett let out a confused hum. “Courtship?”

“It is the formal way of going about things, here in Wakanda.” T’Challa told him, guiding him out of the room. “When you are interested in another, you court them. There is a  _ commitment  _ in courting that you do not find in dating.”

“Did you court Nakia?” Everett asked, not looking at the guards as they passed; they never were particularly nosey, but one could never be too careful. 

“I did, at first. And then we broke up—when we got back together, she was adamant that it was not  _ courting.  _ It was dating. I didn’t like it, but I see why she chose to call it as such.” 

Everett let out a soft grunt. “Where are we going?” He asked, pausing at a set of steps.

“I thought we would simply walk and see where our feet take us.” T’Challa replied; he really hadn’t any destination in mind. He had been more focused on  _ Everett,  _ and how warm his hand was. Not to mention the weight that had been lifted off his shoulders. “ _ Inkonti,  _ kitten—is there anywhere you’d like to go?”

“Are you going to call me that all the time?” Everett demanded in a whisper.

T’Challa shrugged. “I do not see why I shouldn’t. Does it bother you, Everett?” 

“No, not really.” Everett muttered in response. “We should go down to Shuri’s lab; I should finalise my transfer to the embassy here.” He narrowed his eyes, regarding T’Challa with suspicion. “Kind of odd that they’d consider me for an ambassador position, when I’m  _ CIA. _ ” 

T’Challa did his best to look innocent. “I had nothing to do with that. Perhaps they thought you had a better chance of connecting with our people, in comparison to complete strangers.”

“Swear on your life you had nothing to do with it?” Everett asked. When T’Challa didn’t reply, he shook his head. “I knew it.” 

“I only wanted to keep you close.” T’Challa admitted, interlocking their fingers. “Do not damn a lovesick man for actions done in yearning.” 

Everett shook his head. 

“You’re really something else, aren’t you?” He muttered, taking a step closer to T’Challa. “What’s your mother going to think? Is she going to have me put in the stocks for enamouring myself to her son?”

“She’s not going to do anything to you,” T’Challa teased, drawing Everett close so he could kiss the top of his head. “You are a good man. She will respect my decision.” He squeezed Everett’s fingers softly, getting the older man to look over. “I cannot express how happy it makes me, to know you return my affections.” 

Everett nodded, and then sighed. “I’m sorry if I’m a bit awkward—I…I promise I want this, and  _ you.” _

T’Challa hushed him. 

“There is no need to explain yourself. That you feel the same as I is all I need, at the moment; I think it will take days for my head to accept it, and my heart to stop attempting to beat its way out of my chest.” Again, he squeezed Everett’s hand. “That should be enough time for you to finish your paperwork.” 

“Should be.” Everett muttered. He tugged T’Challa to stop, pulling him into another kiss that he took willingly. “Is it bad that I want to keep kissing you?” 

“I have no complaints.” 

**Author's Note:**

> Hi there!
> 
> Song for this fic:  
> Don't Look Down by Plaid Brixx
> 
> Want to stay updated? Want to chat or shoot me a prompt? Feel free to click [here](http://everyday-im-preaching.tumblr.com/) to do all these things and more!


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